This year’s Automechanika international trade fair for the automotive aftermarket industry, held in Johannesburg in March, drew high praise from exhibitors and visitors alike. Visitor numbers topped the 9 000-mark – a 10 per cent increase compared with the inaugural show in 2009 – and managed to attract 551 exhibitors from as far afield as China, France, Germany, India, Italy and Singapore.
The Retail Motor Industry (RMI) conference attracted more than 500 delegates with guest speakers including South Africa’s Deputy President, Kgalema Motlanthe, who spoke at an executive breakfast arranged by the Motor Industry Staff Association – not only showing government’s commitment to the show, but also to skills development and job creation in the local automotive sector.
Speaking at a media briefing, Detlef Braun, board management member of Messe Frankfurt – the owners of the Automechanika brand – said that he was “most impressed with what he had seen at this second staging of Automechanika in Johannesburg”. The inaugural show, which was held in 2009, was the most successful inaugural event in the history of the trade fair. Johannesburg is the 13th city to form part of the circuit.
“We were all impressed two years ago when the first Automechanika SA trade fair turned out to be the most successful premiere of all Automechanika events in the world,” said Braun. “We had confidence in Project Automechanika South Africa and its organisers, Dogan Trading.”
The Automechanika SA Innovation Awards also attracted a lot of attention and received more than 40 entries. First National Battery’s Raylite Ultimate – the only locally-manufactured valve regulated lead acid battery with absorbent glass matt technology – was awarded the gold certificate for product innovation. Bosch’s Parallel Full Hybrid Technology system was awarded a silver certificate, while MAHA’s MET 6 Emissions Tester took the bronze award.
